Earwigs are elongated, flat-bodied insects most easily recognized by the pair of pincers (called cerci or forceps) extending from the tip of their abdomen. Most species found around homes measure roughly half an inch to just over an inch long, are dark brown to reddish brown, and have short, leathery forewings that meet in a straight line down their back. If you’ve spotted a bug and want to confirm it’s an earwig, or figure out which species you’re dealing with, here’s what to look for.
Features All Earwigs Share
Every earwig species has the same basic body plan. The body is flattened and elongated, with slender, bead-like antennae and chewing mouthparts that face forward. The legs end in three-segmented feet. But two features set earwigs apart from any lookalike insect.
The first is those pincers. They sit at the very end of the abdomen and serve as multi-tools: earwigs use them for self-defense, grooming, courtship, and even folding their hind wings back into place. The pincers look intimidating but pose little risk to people. A pinch can leave a red, swollen mark and occasionally break the skin, but earwigs carry no venom and the irritation heals quickly.
The second distinctive feature is the wing arrangement. The forewings are short and leathery, sitting like small protective covers on the back. Underneath them, most earwigs hide surprisingly large, fan-shaped hind wings that fold both lengthwise and crosswise to tuck away. Many people assume earwigs are wingless because the hind wings are so well concealed. Some species genuinely are wingless, though.
Telling Males From Females
You can often sex an earwig just by looking at its pincers. Females have relatively straight, parallel-sided forceps. Males have noticeably curved, pincer-shaped forceps that bow outward before tapering to the tips. In some species, male forceps are even asymmetrical, with one pincer slightly different from the other. Male European earwigs also show size variation: some males carry forceps about 5 mm long, while others sport forceps nearly twice that length at 9.5 mm.
European Earwig
The European earwig is by far the most common species encountered in North American homes and gardens. Adults measure about 13 to 14 mm (roughly half an inch) in body length, not counting the forceps. The body, including the legs, is dark brown to reddish brown, with a slightly paler underside. The antennae have 14 segments. Despite looking wingless, adults do have full-sized hind wings folded beneath those abbreviated forewings.
Young European earwigs (nymphs) pass through four stages before reaching adulthood. They look like miniature adults but start out grayish brown and only about 4 mm long. With each molt, they darken toward the adult brown and grow larger. Wing pads first become visible in the fourth nymphal stage, when they’re roughly 9 to 11 mm long. First-stage nymphs stay in the nest with their mother, while older nymphs disperse to feed on their own.
Striped Earwig
The striped earwig is a larger species, ranging from 2 to 3 cm (about three-quarters of an inch to just over an inch). Its color is brown to reddish brown, similar to the European earwig, but the giveaway is a set of dark longitudinal stripes running along the upper surface of the body and extending onto the wings. The antennae are long and thread-like. Males have distinctly curved pincers, while female pincers are straighter and sometimes cross at the tips.
Ring-Legged Earwig
This species is easy to identify once you know what to look for. Adults are brown to nearly black and about 12 to 19 mm long, similar in size to the European earwig. The key feature is on the legs: each light brown leg has two equally spaced dark bands, creating the “ringed” pattern that gives the species its name. Ring-legged earwigs are completely wingless, so there’s no chance of confusing hidden hind wings with another species. The antennae have 14 to 16 segments, and, as with other earwigs, male forceps curve more than female forceps.
Identifying Earwig Damage on Plants
Sometimes the first sign of earwigs isn’t the insect itself but the damage they leave behind. On older plants and fruit trees, earwig feeding creates numerous irregular holes in leaves or ragged chewing along the leaf edges. This looks a lot like caterpillar damage, so check the plant carefully for caterpillar evidence: silky webbing, small pellets of excrement (frass), or pupae attached to stems and leaves. If none of those are present, earwigs are a more likely culprit.
On strawberries and other low-growing fruit, earwig damage can also mimic snail or slug feeding. The easiest way to tell the difference is to look for slime trails. Snails and slugs leave a visible, shiny mucus path; earwigs don’t. Because earwigs are nocturnal, you’ll rarely catch them in the act during the day. Going out with a flashlight after dark, or setting up a rolled-up newspaper as a daytime hiding spot, will help confirm they’re present.
Quick Comparison of Common Species
- European earwig: ~13–14 mm, uniformly dark brown, 14-segment antennae, winged but wings hidden
- Striped earwig: 20–30 mm, brown with dark dorsal stripes, long thread-like antennae, winged
- Ring-legged earwig: 12–19 mm, dark brown to black, two dark bands per leg, completely wingless
For context on how large earwigs can get worldwide, the St. Helena giant earwig holds the record at 78 mm (over 3 inches), though this critically rare species is not something you’d encounter in a garden. The earwigs showing up in your home or yard are almost certainly one of the three species above.